Game



Sept. 1, 1936- 13 READ 2,052,797

GAME

Filed Aug. 12, 1933 INVENTOR "30/2/70. feczaf ATTO RNEY-S Patented Sept.1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orries 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a game wherein the objects sought involve theprovision of playing pieces so constructed and decorated as to appeal tochildren and which, by virtue of the rules of play, will arouse andmaintain a childs interest.

A specific object is to provide playing pieces each adapted to 'carry apictorial representation of different familiar objects, each of thepieces indicating a profit or loss to the player holding it,

so that complicated score keeping at the end of a term of play, as inadult games, may be replaced by a simple method of computation in whicheach child player participates at all stages of play.

Another object is to provide playing pieces, as described above, soconstructed as to be easily handled'and shuffled by youthful fingers,the construction entailing a handle or knob for each piece by which thepieces may be dealt, the handle or knob serving also as a prop forsupporting each piece in position to expose the pictorial portion ofthisbase.

A further object of the invention is to provide playing pieces which,when in position to expose the pictorialportion of the base, will not beimpelled by the unevenness of a playing surface to roll from the View ofthe player. In order to accomplish this the base of the piece or itshandle portion may be fashioned out of round.

Another object is to provide a game employing the pieces as abovedescribed in such manner as tobest assure the prolonged interest ofchildren, all ofwhich will hereinafter become more fully apparent asreference is had to the accom- 1 panying drawing, wherein the variouspieces are illustrated both individually and in arrangement for play,and in which- Figure 1 represents a playing surface having the playingpieces arranged for beginning play,

4 the deal having just been completed;

Fig, 2 illustrates the bottom of each playing piece;

Fig. 3 shows the bottom of a piece which has been fabricated and whichis ready to receive a 45 pictorial representation in the countersunkcenter;

Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the finished pieces, partially brokenaway to better illustrate the countersinking;

50 Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are top plan views of finished piecesillustrating various suitable shapes;

Fig. 10 shows a modified manner in which the pieces may be constructed.

More particularly, the numeral I designates a 55 playing surface havingthe playing pieces 2 restsition exposing the bottoms thereof.

ing in the center thereof. These pieces 2 were mixed or shuffled andthen dealt, three apiece, to each player whereupon the players eachturned their pieces as indicated at 3, t, 5 and B to a po- The scor- 5ing may be made in any suitable manner but in order to appeal to youngerchildren I prefer some method which is capable of giving a continuousvisual record of the relative standings.

Each of the pieces 2 is made in any manner as 10 may be found suitable.As illustrated, each piece has a base portion 8 and a handle or knob 9.Each base portion 8 is preferably countersunk at its bottom, as bestshown in Figure 4, as the requirements of the game include pictorialreprel5- sentations I9 which maybe printed on paper and which wouldotherwise be damaged or eifaced by sliding during mixing and dealing. Icontemplate manufacturing the pieces out of wood and gluing paperdistinguishing characteristics there- 20 on, and also in other ways asby molding, for instance, out of a suitable phenol compound in whichcase the moldsmight be made to impress the distinguishingcharacteristics peculiar to each piece. In either case, thecountersinking of the bottom is recommended. The handle or knob 9 may bemade integral with, or separately made and secured to, the base 8. Inorder that the pieces 2 may not roll due to an unevenness of the playingsurface I, either the handle 9 or the base 8 should be out of round. InFigures 4 and 5 the handle is illustrated as polygonal in cross sectionwhile the base is circular. In Figure 6 the shape of the base 811 iselliptical; in Figure 7 the base 8b is octagonal; in Figure 8 the base80 is hexagonal; and in Figure 9 the base Ed is square. Any desiredshape may be made to combine an artistic appearance with utility and Icontemplate also a suitable painting, dying or staining.

In Figure 10 a modified form of playing piece is illustrated, the formbeing that of a bag H. The bag is preferably made of a transparentmaterial such as a cellulose paper. A stiffener l2 of suitable shape,such as illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive, may be inserted in thebag II to form a base. The printed distinguishing character may beinserted between the bag and the stiffener for visibility through thebag when viewed from the bottom. The bag may then be tied as shown at13. The top of the bag serves as a handle analogous to those previouslydescr bed.

The pivoted characteristics which distinguish each piece are here chosengenerally as farm son is selected as the farmer score keeper who takescharge of the game and who. gives credit to each farmer player for hiscapital.

playing pieces 2 are placed in the center of the playing surface andmixed and each farmer play- Play' is then er draws or is dealt threepieces. started by the farmer at the right of the score keeper bypassing his poorest piece, that is, the

- one showing the poorest value, to the farmer at his right who in turnpasses his poorest one to the farmer at his right before looking at thepiece just passed to him. With the exceptions notedbelow, as soon as allhave exchanged pieces as indicated, the farmers then expose their piecesto the score keeper and score or make settlement according to total ofprofit and loss indicated by their three pieces. After settlement, allpieces are placed in the center of the playing surface and shufiledwhereupon a new. deal or drawing is made and the game proceeds as abovedescribed, the order of starting, rotating with the players. As quicklyas a farmer loses all his capital or surpasses a given negative scoringvalue he is eliminated from further play until only a single winnerremains. I

The exceptions noted above are as follows: If-a farmer draws the piecehaving the rooster thereon he is cock of the barnyard. .I-Ie remainsquiet until the farmer on his left ofiers him his poorest disc whereuponhe calls loudly cock-adoodle-do, which means Mr. Farmer on my left,

' I do not want your poorest piece, I want your highest'piec'e and Iwill give you my poorest piece, and I also call for immediate settlement7 by the score keeper with all farmers. All pieces are thereupon exposedand settlement is made or scores entered. The farmer who draws thecatmust sit quiet until the farmer on his left-offers him his poorest piecewhereupon he simply hisses, which is a signal that he cannot exchangeany piece. The farmer on his left then passes the preferred piece to thefarmer at the right of him holding the cat. If a farmer has both therooster All ing playing pieces each having a diflerent re- 1 repulsivearticles, and other smaller groups of and the cat he follows the rule ofthe IOOStCI. In case the farmer who starts the game has drawn therooster, he immediately stops the game by calling Cocka-doodle-do.Having no one to exchange with, he puts his poorest disc in the 5 centerof the table and draws another.

As indicated, there is considerable latitude for changes in the game andthe playing pieces as illustrated without departing from the spirit ofmy invention and I therefore desire to be limited 0 in protection onlyas defined by the scope of the claims.

- What I claim is:- I

1. The herein described game blocks comprisproductionof articlesfamiliar to farm life on the bottom thereof, indicia of value bordering.the reproductions, said reproductions representing articles of varyingdegrees of likes and dislikes to the juvenile mind thereby formingseveral 20 natural groups of pieces, the indicia of value being the samefor the pieces in any one group and varying from group to group, saidindicia indicating positive value'onthose pieces having articlesnaturally appealing to the juvenile mind and 25 indicating negativevalue on those pieces having articles naturally disliked by the juvenilemind,

the groups bearing indicia of greatest value having a relatively smallernumber of pieces.

2. The herein described game blocks compris- 3 ing playing pieces eachhaving a reproduction of articles familiar to farm life onthe bottomthereof, indicia of value bordering said reproductions, saidreproductions representing articles of varying degreesof likes anddislikes to a juvenile mind 35 forming several natural groups accordingto juvenile appeal, one of said groups including reproductions ofvegetables and having the indicia of small positive value, another ofsaid groups including reproductions of articles somewhat repulsive to-a'juvenile mind including a can of sour milk, a lame duck, a dry cow,aerate of bad eggs and a kicking mule and having indicia indicatingrelatively great negative value, another of said groups includingreproductions of 45 animals and having indicia of greater positivevalulthanfor said vegetables and numerically smaller thanthe negativevalue of said group of articleshaving indicia of major value, theindicia of value being equal for all articles in any group and differingfor each group'with respect to every other group.

.r v BOLETIA READ.

